A women’s support system
The Balancing Act
Economic and social development in the GCC is booming, countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are building skyscrapers, roads, office buildings, malls, and mini cities dedicated to culture, design, and media as well as education.
It has become the craze to utilize all your citizens and get the locals on the forefront of leading the economy and pushing it forth. There are more women than ever before heading financial firms, banks, writing opinionated columns for newspapers and joining parliament.
GCC countries are allocating bigger budgets on training and supporting women in business. The Gulf offers more work opportunities than ever before for a local woman in the workplace. A growing supportive culture is arising, encouraging women to pursue further education and take on new roles that can give them the competitive edge in the market. There are fewer restrictions on women to work and study but still there remain cultural expectations that come with balancing a women’s career and the rest of her personal.
While women in other parts of the world struggle with work, balancing life and personal needs plus professional expectations, Arab businesswomen have the challenge of maintaining a certain perception of their role within their families and in society.
Women in this region are able to hold a better understanding of themselves if seen as a collective whole, whilst in the West women prize themselves on personal achievement. It is crucial for women in this part of the region to see empowerment and success connected to family and society and seek acceptance and approval whilst going up the corporate ladder.
It is also important for women to choose to have partners that share their personal and professional goals, and seek mentors and leadership opportunities that contribute to country welfare. The challenge is to achieve success balancing the role as both a traditional figure and a business figure. Blending the role of mother, family women, and a wife with businesswomen is crucial to be accepted in society and to be seen as a role model.
Most women in the GCC want to work not out of necessity but to be able to contribute to their countries national and economic development. They also crave interdependence and want to increase their financial independence, create jobs and change the perception of Arab women in the GCC.
Women leaders also see the need to become positive role models for their local communities, and importance of raising their profiles and sharing their stories as a means of spreading positivity and empowering other women to step up to leadership roles.
Women are no longer happy with being executives, they want to be successful managers, and leaders by attaining qualifications, raising their profiles, and promoting their personal branding. In the 21st century women are increasingly seen to be playing major roles in commerce, education, and public life.
Successful women need to speak up, speak out, and deliver impactful messages, this is the only way to be seen, heard, and remembered.
But we cannot do so without having a support system. Having a supportive family or partner is crucial to support the woman’s career to move forward. A woman cannot lead without surrounding herself with friends, family and partners that have her back when she makes decisions.
Having a family that helps you put your career first, and revolves around a family’s understanding of the importance of the issue of empowering and supporting women in the workplace and requires time off family and flexible work arrangements. Women need to start speaking up and have conversations about how important it is to have supportive relationships that can advance both careers. Too often do we hear stories of how inspiring and competent women get forced to take career breaks to benefit their families or partners. But in the long run that does not help, it stifles financial independence and women empowerment. As women leaders we must recognize the need to speak up, seize opportunities, and be positive role models in society. And to do so we need the support of our loved ones, to back us up and to encourage us to aim higher